... Shuby and Sassy are still oblivious and playing...

... Ashes is now going into every room and meowing, then coming in and meowing at me... I just wish he'd stop staring at me, it makes me uncomfortable...

Last night my husband came home and we had another cry.. We brought Smudgie's picture into the bedroom, and we both hugged it... Then Kevin left for a smoke (i'm allergic to smoke, and so was Smudgie, so Kevin smokes outside..) and Sassy (my ginger tabby) came up on the bed, and I told her the story of how I found Smudgie.. I was able to do it without crying, so I think I can do it here...

I've lived in this hi-rise apartment since I was 6 months old, I am now 33.. I moved out of my parents apartment on the 4th floor up to the 7th floor with my boyfriend (now hubby)..

Running down the stairs to see my Mum before I left for work, I heard this little meow and I looked down just as I was about to step on this little guy.. He was SO TINY... he had a flea collar that was too big (and obviously NOT working as he was covered with fleas) and his belly was SO fat (I've had cats all my life, so I concluded worms..) He was SO sweet... So I picked him up and took him to my Mum's house, and asked her if she could find someone to house him until I came home from work.. She did, a gentleman on the 7th floor... So I came home from work and posted a sign about the found cat.. NO ONE answered it, so I made plans...

Then I had to figure out how to tell my husband, as he wasn't too fond of cats at this time... (boy, did THAT ever change..) so I made him his favourite pasta dinner and got a nice bottle of wine... I told him about the cat, and he relented... After dinner Kevin's sister called and I left to get the cat... I came back in, Kevin took one look, he dropped the phone (left Tracey hanging) and said, 'Awwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!'.. Right then, I knew we were keeping him...

He was purring VERY loudly.. because of this and his face, we decided to call him Sir Evinrude Smudge, with Smudgie for short. I took him to the vet, who said he was about 5 weeks old. I almost died..

After getting him dewormed (we went through SO much cat food, it was like the feeding of the 5000 for him..), he was SO loving... and so mischievious.. We came home once to find him stuck to the screen door, we had no idea how long he'd been there!

He accepted every other housecat we had with love, never fought.. He always had kisses, he knew when you were upset...

We bred guinea pigs for some time as well.. I'd put the cage part on the floor, and wash the base.. while it was drying, my Dad asked me to go out with him, and I completely forget about the piggies on the floor with the top part of the cage open.. I remembered as we drove in the driveway coming home.. I raced upstairs, opened the door, ran into the piggy room.. and there, in the cage, was Smudgie fast asleep, with the piggies snuggled up to him and sleeping as well... That is the memory I hold closest to me..

Rest in Peace, My #1 boy. Mummy loves you. ((single tear falls))

At least now I am not scared of death. I now have something to look forward to.